Progression for any band is a good thing. After all, if you progress then it’s likely you’ll only improve. The Bled have certainly progressed and improved with ‘Found in the Flood’. If ‘Pass The Flask’ (which was a fine record, I hasten to add) had any major faults, it was that it sounded very samey. The aggresive formula that littered that record is not repeated here. Of course the beefier production – courtesy of Mark Trombino – takes away some of the chaos and edge, making things a little cleaner and clearer. At times the band even sound like Muse or Radiohead as they stretch their sound around more atmospheric guitars.
That’s not to say the band have ditched their full-blooded approach which served them so well last time round. ‘Hotel Coral Essex’ is hard and heavy and ‘Guttershark’ as full-on as anything on ‘Pass The Flask’. James Munoz’s vocals are as aggressive as they’ve ever been, even if some of the songs tone down the harsh guitars in favour of some really strong melodies. ‘My Assassin’ is most likely to be a future single, with Mr Munoz singing large parts – something a little unexpected when you look back at the ferocity of The Bled‘s back catalogue. But things get weirder still – ‘Antarctica’ swoops and swishes among a landscape of soft, scenic guitars that could easily have come from a Muse record. It’s just like nothing the band have done before and this is a good thing.
‘Found in the Flood’ is only 10 songs in length so the variation works a treat. Fans will be delighted with heavier tracks like ‘She Calls Home’ and ‘The Last American Cowboy’, yet the Glassjaw-esque ‘Daylight Bombings’ again shows the band have a different, more creative side to them. I have a feeling the move to Vagrant from Fiddler will boost The Bled‘s profile quite significantly. With bands like My Chemical Romance gaining popularity by the day, groups such as The Bled have a ready-made platform to jump on. ‘Found in the Flood’ gives the band the ideal opportunity to make a real name for themselves – and not through cheap cash-in made-for-MTV singles. This is thoughtful, yet full of bloody violence. It’s The Bled through and through – and that’s a very good thing.
Vagrant/Hassle
Paul